With the arrival of warm weather, our smaller brothers, like people, are exposed to the attack of various insects. Fleas and ticks are especially nasty. These small-looking insects can be carriers of dangerous diseases, and fiddling with them every time is a thankless and dreary task. We’ll tell you how to quickly cope and prevent infection in our review. We have selected effective products for pets to enjoy outdoor recreation to the fullest.
Advantages and disadvantages
Insecticidal components are not absorbed into the blood, but remain in the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. Upon contact with a toxic substance, paralysis occurs and the insect dies within 10-15 minutes. The drops are irrigated onto the intact, dry skin of the withers, from where the pet cannot lick them off.
Flaws:
- The liquid is also toxic to warm-blooded animals if it gets into the eyes or mucous membranes. The cat develops drooling, conjunctivitis, and vomiting.
- You cannot treat several pets at once: they will lick the liquid from each other’s withers, become poisoned and be left without protection from attacks by fleas and ticks.
- A nursing cat must be removed from the babies until the drops are absorbed. Most drugs remain toxic even after absorption.
- After treatment, you need to protect the cat from getting wet. Children should not be allowed to pet the pet due to the risk of developing an allergic reaction.
- The best drugs are expensive.
The advantages of insecticidal drops outweigh the disadvantages.
Methods of flea infestation
Most often, an animal becomes infected on the street, but even a domestic cat that has never left the apartment and has not been in contact with sick animals can become a victim of blood-sucking insects.
The main factor is the presence of eggs laid by fleas, which the owner himself can bring into the house, for example, on the sole of a shoe.
Close-up view of a flea.
TOP 9 best medications for fleas in cats
Cat lovers are provided with a list of the best insecticidal drops, selected on the basis of expert assessments by specialists and customer reviews.
Advocate
Drops from the German company Bayer exterminate fleas, ixodid mites, scabies mites, worms, including heartworm larvae, which are dangerous to humans and are carried by mosquitoes. Moxidectin destroys helminths, imidacloprid kills arthropods. For cats up to 4 kg, 0.4 ml pipettes are produced; for pets heavier than 4 kg, 0.8 ml ampoules are used.
By the way, the same drug (Advocate up to 4 kg) can be used on ferrets; in this case, the weight of the ferret should not be less than 800 grams. The drug is prescribed to kittens over 9 weeks old and weighing more than 1 kg. A single treatment destroys fleas and protects the animal from external and internal parasites for a month. If necessary, treatment can be repeated 28 days after the first application. The drug is applied to the withers between the ears, so that the animal does not have the opportunity to lick it off. It is important to know! It is unacceptable to inject the solution into the inside of the auricle. Advocate is used to treat diseases caused by subcutaneous mites.
Be sure to read:
Dironet Spot-on ® (drops) for cats and dogs to kill ticks and fleas
Drops Advocate against fleas, scabies mites, worms for cats. Information from the manufacturer.
Cost of Advocate drops from 1025 rub.
Stronghold
Drops from the American company Zoetis can be used for pregnant, lactating animals and kittens over 42 days old. The active substance is Selamectin, it destroys arthropods, nematodes, and microfilariae. For pets with a live weight of up to 2.5 kg at the withers, the contents of 0.25 ml pipettes with a purple tip are caught. For cats that weigh more than 2.5 kg, blue 0.75 ml ampoules are used. The drug can be given to pregnant and lactating cats, and to babies older than 6 weeks. The mother is isolated from the cubs for half an hour, the drops are allowed to be absorbed so that the kittens do not ingest the toxic liquid. For giants, the canine preparation is not suitable: a combination of pipettes must be used.
Zoetis Stronghold plus stronghold for cats from 2.5 to 5 kg
The cost of a box of Zoetis Stronghold is 1050 rubles.
Beafar
Beafar range of products for fleas and ticks on animals.
The active components of the German repellent are essential oils. The drops repel fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes for a month. The drug is used for cats older than 12 weeks, regardless of weight. Not suitable for white cats: it stains the fur.
Cost 576 rub.
Bravecto plus
BRAVECTO PLUS FOR CATS
Drops are available for pets in three sizes:
| Live weight, kg | Fluralaner/moxidectin content, mg | Cost, rub. |
| >1,2<2,8 | 1125/6,25 | 1048 |
| >2,8<6,25 | 250/12,5 | 1116 |
| >6,25<12,5 | 500/25 | 1395 |
The drug destroys fleas, ticks, nematodes and protects against re-infestation for 12 weeks. The instructions do not provide for age restrictions and do not mention the use of the drug to expel insects from a pregnant and lactating cat. Bravecto Plus is a convenient product for those who like to relax in the country with their pet: one treatment is enough for the whole season.
Advantage
Advantage anti-flea drops for cats.
Information from the manufacturer. The drops are also produced in Germany by Bayer, as are Advocate drops. Imidacloprid accumulates in the sebaceous glands, hair follicles, and protects the pet from attack by ectoparasites for 4 weeks. Pipettes with a volume of 0.4 ml are squeezed onto the skin of the withers of a pet older than 10 weeks, weighing up to 4 kg. Ampoules with a volume of 0.8 ml are prescribed for animals weighing from 4 to 8 kg. For large cats, squeeze out 1.2 ml.
The cost of one Advantage pipette is from 290 rubles.
Inspector Total K
Inspector Total K flea treatment for cats
Antiparasitic drops Inspector based on the insecticide fipronil and the anthelmintic component moxidectin are manufactured in Germany or Russia. Fipronil exterminates ixodid and subcutaneous ticks, lice, and fleas. Moxidectin destroys nematodes, including microfilariae, which enter the blood of cats, dogs, and humans through a mosquito bite.
Drops are applied to the skin of animals weighing over 1 kg and over 7 weeks of age. Ticks will not dare to attach themselves to the pet’s body for 28 days, fleas - 42. After treatment, the cat is protected from getting wet for 4 days.
Be sure to read:
The drug Ivermek, instructions for use for cats: dosages and composition
Cost 350 rub.
Frontline combo
Insectoacaricidal drops produced in France are produced in two forms: Spot on for cats walking outside and combo for animals that do not leave the apartment their entire lives. In the first option, the active substance is fipronil, which paralyzes arthropods. Frontline combo contains an additional component - S-methoprene, which the larvae's body takes for a hormone that regulates the synthesis of chitin. Molting is blocked, and the arthropod dies before reaching sexual maturity. A cat saves its owner from a flea attack. If there was no pet, the insect would feed on the blood of a person—a hairless creature with a low body temperature. Fleas prefer to settle on a warm, hairy cat whose skin is poisoned.
The drug is produced in 0.5 ml pipettes, applied to the skin of an animal older than 56 days, with a live weight of more than 2 kg. Frontline protects the cat from ticks by 3; fleas for 6 weeks.
Frontline Combination is formulated to control fleas, ticks and/or biting lice, killing fleas (Ctenocephalides spp.) and providing insecticidal effectiveness against new adult flea infestations for up to 4 weeks.
Prevents flea reproduction by inhibiting the development of eggs (ovicidal activity), larvae and pupae (larvicidal activity) derived from eggs laid by adult fleas for 6 weeks after application.
Destruction of ticks (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor variabilis, Rhipicephalus sanguineus).
The drug has persistent acaricidal effectiveness against ticks for 2 weeks (based on experimental data).
Destruction of biting lice (Felicola subrostratus).
Can be used as part of a treatment strategy to control flea allergy dermatitis (FAD).
Frontline combo cost from 460 rub.
Fiprist combo
The drug is manufactured by the Slovenian company KRKA. Fiprist is an analogue of the drug Frontline in terms of the active component.
Cost 385 rub.
Vectra Felis
French-made drops kill only fleas. The pipette contains 0.9 ml of insecticide with the active ingredients dinotefuran and pyriproxyfen. Drops are applied to the intact skin of a pet older than 7 weeks, weighing from 0.6 to 10 kg. The drug protects the animal from fleas for 4 weeks.
Treatment and prevention of flea infestations (Ctenocephalides felis) in cats.
One application prevents flea infestations for one month. It also prevents flea reproduction by preventing fleas from appearing in your cat's environment for 3 months.
The veterinary drug may be used as part of a treatment strategy to control flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) in cats.
The cost of Vectra Felis is from 1100 rubles.
How to use drops for cats
How to put drops on the withers
This is a fairly effective method in the fight against fleas; you will need to place the cat next to you and try to calm it down so that it does not twitch. Next, spread the fur on the animal’s withers and drop the recommended dose of the drug onto the cat’s skin.
Contraindications to the use of drops
Although most modern flea drops are non-toxic and hypoallergenic, there are still certain contraindications to the use of the drugs.
- It is necessary to take into account the age of the cat; most drops cannot be used if the cat is no more than one and a half to two months old.
- It is not recommended to use drops if the animal is sick at this moment or is exhausted. In this case, it is best to contact a veterinarian, only he will be able to select flea treatment for such an animal.
- The use of flea drops is also excluded if the cat is pregnant or nursing her offspring. This can cause serious harm to the fetus and can even lead to miscarriage. There are a limited number of manufacturers whose drops can be used by pregnant and lactating cats; they were listed earlier in the article.
- Some cats cannot tolerate certain components of flea drops; low-toxic and hypoallergenic preparations are suitable for them.
- It is also not allowed to apply the drug to those areas of the skin that have wounds.
If you ignore the above contraindications, this can cause serious harm to your pet, even to the point of death. And if there are any, then it is best to contact a veterinarian, he will select an alternative to flea drops.
Overdose of flea drops
If you use more drops than recommended, your cat may overdose on the drug. This can be recognized by the following signs:
- excessive salivation;
- severe vomiting;
- muscle cramps;
- the cat becomes lethargic and may refuse to eat.
When used correctly, flea drops will not harm your cat's health. You will help your pet quickly get rid of parasites and regain health.
Feedback from cat owners
Cat owners speak positively about the effects of the described drugs. Isolated negative responses are explained by individual intolerance to the components of the insecticide or violation of storage rules: flea drops cannot be frozen or stored for a long time at outside temperatures above 30 °C.
Here are examples of reviews:
- Frontline for cats. We have used this product for several years and it has always worked well for our cats. We firmly believe that this has kept them free of pests and problems. This product is made in France, which surprised us. Buy with confidence!
- I have been ordering Frontline for my cats for the past few years. In summer they spend most of their time outdoors. We've never had a problem with fleas or ticks, but we start treating them in early spring and do it faithfully all summer long. I work at a veterinary clinic and some people who use frontline complain that it doesn't work. I think it's harder to control fleas if you wait until they have them and your home is infested. I think it works well when you start in the spring and use it until there is a hard freeze. For those who live where it doesn't freeze, it's probably best to use it year-round. I will buy this product again next spring when it warms up here. We have 4 cats and I use Frontline Plus for all of them.
- After years of treating cats with Frontline and having the fleas return before the next dose was due, I discovered Vectra. Everything about this product is great. The cap is easily pressed to reveal the dose, and then it parts the hair to release the product onto the skin. And speaking of effectiveness, I didn't see any active fleas within an hour! Let's sing the praises of this product!
- Vectra. It works better than Advantage or Frontline. It doesn't seem to make cats feel sick the way Advantage does. Sometimes cats get sick from Advantage. My cats would lie around for 2 days. Whereas with Vectra, cats don't seem to have any adverse reactions. I highly recommend Vectra. It works as it should and kills fleas quickly.
Be sure to read:
Prazicide - suspension for kittens: instructions for use, reviews from veterinarians
Tips for choosing
Before purchasing, we strongly recommend that you contact a qualified veterinarian to select the most optimal option suitable for your pet. We advise you to pay immediate attention to:
- Active substance. The less toxic the product is to the animal, the better.
- Brand. Choose only proven products in specialized stores.
- Age and breed. For this purpose, selection is carried out individually.
- Weight. Depending on this parameter, the amount of product required, as well as the cost, fluctuates.
- Duration of action. The longer the drops keep unwanted insects away, the better.
- Efficiency. There are usually a lot of reviews. People willingly share their observations online. Please read and take note.
- Package. Check it for integrity.
- Instructions. Read it carefully for any contraindications and possible side effects.
- Best before date. The longer it is, the better. Do not use expired medications.
We wish your pet health!
What happens to fleas after treatment?
Drops have a detrimental effect on parasites in one of three ways:
- Impact on the nervous system, resulting in death.
- Contact action. A toxic substance with a poisonous effect penetrates the insect’s body through direct contact.
- Repellent effect. The smell of some products can only repel fleas, but will not lead to their destruction.
Protection from parasites.
How long before you can wash after applying drops?
The period before washing a cat after flea treatment depends on the composition of the product used. It takes 1-2 days for a water-based product to absorb, and about 5 days for an oil-based product.
If you notice allergy symptoms (itching, redness, fresh scratching), your cat should be bathed immediately. A local reaction to the use of the drug can cause irreversible consequences that will require urgent treatment of the animal.
In order not to harm the cat and to be sure that the necessary protective layer has been formed, it is recommended to use the drops 2-3 days after bathing. In some cases, this period is 5 days.
